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Pamela Peterson went shopping for new clothes Monday and a television crew came along. Since her initial appearance on the Rachael Ray Show more than a year ago, the Star Prairie resident still hasn't gotten used to all the attention. Her unique diet and exercise plan caught the attention of Ray, a syndicated food show star whose shows appear on the Food Network and locally on Channel 11 at 2 p.m.

At exactly 4:23 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, Jim and Sandy Helman will light the fuses on 27 rockets at their family's land in rural Barron. As the skies explode with sound and sparkling fireworks displays, friends and family members who are assembled there will pause to remember Cory Helman. The 27-year-old Navy Petty Officer First Class died a year ago at that exact time in a helicopter training exercise above the Pacific waters off the coast of California. Three others died in the accident as well. "We wanted to do something to show that Cory is not forgotten," Jim Helman said.

Ox Cart Days in Star Prairie are in for big changes in 2008. According to Tom Gibson, Ox Cart Committee member, local organizers hope the changes breathe new life into the local celebration. This year's version of Ox Cart Days is planned for Aug.

Planning for the third annual Art & Culinary Show is well underway. The 2008 event, sponsored by the Rotary Club of New Richmond, is set for Sunday, April 20. The event will run from 4 to 8 p.m. at R&D Catering facility south of New Richmond. "No year is ever going to be the same," said Jo Wrich, one of the show's organizers. "We're going to switch it up." The biggest change this year will be holding the show on Sunday.

It's a confusing maze of alphabet soup to those unfamiliar with the region's economic development organizations. But the New Richmond City Council is hoping to navigate the long list of non-profit agencies (the EDC, NRAEDC, St.

After 114 years of history in downtown New Richmond, the Beebe family is no longer operating a business locally. Jim and Sharon Beebe sold their furniture store and funeral home to Brian Young and Jodie Bakken-Young effective Jan. 2. The Bakkens have been working with the Beebes for about eight years, in an effort to make any future ownership transition as smooth as possible. "There's always been the thought that this might happen," Brian said. Turns out, the start of 2008 was the right time to retire for Jim and Sharon Beebe. Jim has been a fixture downtown for more than 45 years.

The accolades continue to roll in for Julie Moffitt, the New Richmond High School graduate who is striving to make a name for herself in the music industry. Moffitt was among 60 singers, musical groups, dancers and comedians to compete in an recent finals competition from Austin, Texas. Out of five finalists in the singer-songwriter category, Moffitt was the top vote getter in the contest. Her victory was announced online on Dec. 13. Moffitt, who now hails from Chicago, won $10,000 in prize money as a result. "I got involved in FameCast on a whim," Moffitt said.

Christmas Day didn't quite turn out the way Billy and Patience Biedler had hoped. A turkey fryer being readied to cook a family's Christmas dinner malfunctioned Tuesday and burned the Billy and Patience Biedler home in the Town of Star Prairie, 1323 220th Ave. Patience said the family opened some of their gifts Christmas morning and they were getting ready for their extended family to arrive for the big holiday meal. The family had just checked the fryer moments before the blaze started, according to Patience.

The community's top "Christmas cheer" ambassadors have been selected. Let the automobile tour of lights begin. The New Richmond Kiwanis Club chose this year's Holiday Lighting Contest winners Wednesday, Dec. 12. Taking top prize was Alexandra Sword, at 135 North Green Avenue in New Richmond. Sword was finishing her interior decorating when word came Thursday afternoon that she'd won the local contest.